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Change the World

METHODOLOGY

How We Chose the Companies

The Change the World list recognizes companies that have had a positive social impact through activities that are part of their core business strategy. We prioritize companies with annual revenues of $1 billion or more. The initial solicitation and assessment of nominees is conducted in partnership with FSG, a nonprofit social-impact consulting firm; the Shared Value Initiative, a global platform for organizations seeking business solutions to social challenges; and Professor Michael E. Porter of Harvard Business School. Fortune writers and editors then evaluate and rank the companies by these three factors:

1. Measurable social impact: We consider the reach, nature, and durability of the company’s impact on one or more specific societal problems. This category receives extra weight.

2. Business results: We consider the benefit the socially impactful work brings to the company. Profitability and contribution to shareholder value outweigh benefits to the company’s reputation.

3. Degree of innovation: We consider how innovative the company’s effort is relative to that of others in its industry and whether ­other companies have followed its example.

More companies than ever are using the profit motive to solve a multitude of societal problems. Here’s our third annual list of the best of them. Click here to read more about the list and how we choose the companies. Click here to meet six small companies that are rising stars for social good. And click here to learn why more CEOs want to make a social impact.

InteractiveMapping The World ChangersThe 50 companies chosen for this year's Change the World list hail from 18 countries. Use our interactive map to see how the corporations doing good by way of big business are spread out across the globe.View here →